Overview & Winnings
The Hubert E. Storer Start-up Award provides initial financial support for College of Engineering students’ entrepreneurial business plans and innovative products. Any currently enrolled University of Iowa College of Engineering undergraduate or graduate student is eligible to compete for the Storer Entrepreneurial Start-up Award. Finalists will present and pitch their product idea to a panel of judges to secure project funding; similar to the show “Shark Tank.” The top teams will be awarded monetary prizes with maximum winnings up to $5000 for first place.
The Hubert E. Storer Engineering Student Entrepreneurial Start-up Award is made possible through a generous gift from the late Engineering alumnus and entrepreneur Hubert E. Storer (BSE Industrial Engineering, 1959). Hubert was the president, owner, and founder of Storer Equipment Company—located in Shreveport, LA.
Criteria & Qualifications
- Participants must be currently enrolled as full-time or part-time College of Engineering undergraduate or graduate students.
- Due to federal laws, international students are not permitted to receive winnings, but can participate on a team.
- Any student receiving the Storer Start-up Award may re-submit a business plan in the following year’s competition for additional funding.
Submission
Students are expected to submit:
- a description of their product
- what it is, key features, unique benefits, stage of development, intellectual property potential, etc.
- a business plan that includes a market analysis (size of market, need, competitors, target customers), revenue model, and intentions for the funding. (see sample plans here and here)
Timeline
- Business plan submissions are due Friday, April 5, 2024 by 11:55 pm and can be submitted online. (see sample plans here and here)
- Presentations are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Half an hour time blocks have been scheduled from 3:00-6:00 pm in 3655 SC. You will sign-up for a time when you submit your materials.
Teams & Roles
Please list team members names, majors, year in school, and describe their roles. Teams can not exceed five students, but can be as few as two.
Sample Business Plans
Applications for Spring 2024 open March 5.
In order to complete the application you will need:
- To list your team members, including their major, year in school, and role in the team.
- To upload a document describing your team's product.
- To upload a document with your team's business plan.
- To rank your team's time slot preference for the presentation on Tuesday, April 16 between 3:00-6:00pm.
If you have any questions prior to submitting this application, please contact Alyssa Burks at alyssa-burks@uiowa.edu.
